Location
Birmingham, Bristol or Leeds
Description
Make a Real Impact
Bevan Brittan is a leading commercial law firm. Alongside our recognised expertise in housing, local government, and health and social care, we are specialists in the construction, energy and resource management, higher education and financial services sectors.
Supported by our valued business services professionals, our award-winning and growing legal teams provide almost 2,000 organisations with commercial, corporate, property, finance, regulatory, employment and litigation (commercial and clinical negligence) legal and advisory services.
As a responsible business, we embrace four values: Relationships, Reputation, Responsible and Results. These give us a sense of purpose. They influence the decisions we make and how we work with each other. Importantly, they motivate us to deliver meaningful outcomes for our clients and the communities that we're part of.
Consistently recognised as one of The Times Best Law Firms and highly ranked across the legal directories, we are proud of our hard-earned reputation. Our 2023/24 financial results confirmed both revenue and profit growth for an eleventh consecutive year, ensuring our ability to continue investing in our people.
Looking to the future, we're targeting ambitious growth and success. And we're looking for the best people to be part of it.
Join a team of experts and progressive thinkers
Housing is one of our core markets and focus areas for growth. The Bevan Brittan Housing Management team has experienced significant growth over the last couple of years and is now one of the largest housing management practices in the country. Our track record of delivering high quality advice means that growth is set to continue, with a number of major tender wins adding to an already impressive list of clients based across the country and nationally.
We advise a considerable number of registered providers, ranging from many of the top ten largest providers in the country at one end of the spectrum to smaller, specialist providers at the other and everything in between. We assist our clients to tackle anti-social behaviour, tenancy fraud, unlawful occupation, disrepair claims, access issues and rent arrears as well as assisting them to manage changes to legislation and the consequential effects that changes in government policy have on their organisations. Our housing clients are passionate about achieving their corporate objectives, and we are passionate about helping them do so.
Whilst the majority of our work is for housing associations, we also increasingly provide housing management services to a range of other types of organisation including local authorities, care providers, the NHS, universities, and charities.
The role
We have an excellent opportunity for a Paralegal preferably with experience in housing disrepair work to join our team.
The role will involve supporting the Solicitors within the team with their caseload, but will also offer the opportunity to build a personal caseload of appropriate cases. The clients you will be advising will mostly be housing associations, local authorities and specialist supported accommodation providers.
The successful candidate will work very closely with our dynamic and passionate team of Housing Management lawyers to advance cases to court. The work will be varied, challenging, interesting and often urgent. Examples of the types of work that the Paralegal will need to undertake are as follows:
* Drafting County Court claims or defences
* Witness evidence
* Preparing disclosure lists and documents
* Liaising with Counsel, opponents and the Courts
* Undertaking research on more unusual or complicated cases
* Preparing trial bundle indexes and bundles
* Drafting costs schedules for hearings
* Arranging case conferences, witness meetings and conferences with Counsel
* Ensuring compliance with litigation deadlines
* County Court advocacy on routine matters
The role will also include contact with clients to take instructions and progress cases.
What we are looking for from you
The successful candidate will preferably have the following experience:
* Experience in managing a disrepair caseload is essential
* A genuine interest in social housing
* Competent in all IT applications, including Word, Excel and Outlook
* Strong attention to detail and a clear communication style (both written and verbal)
* Punctual with good time management skills and the ability to manage and prioritise a range of tasks
* Commitment to good customer service
* Good empathy skills and the ability to deal with a range of different personality types when working with clients and witnesses
* Commitment to meeting or exceeding personal targets
* Willing to listen and learn
* Good team player with a willingness to assist colleagues
* Self-motivated, enthusiastic, committed and approachable
* Ability to remain calm and professional when under pressure
Work with approachable people
When we ask colleagues what makes Bevan Brittan a great place to work, the most popular thing they say is "the people". The overwhelming consensus is that we make time for each other. We welcome questions and support each other. Naturally, we look for new colleagues who align with our values.
Supported to be your best
Hybrid working
We operate a hybrid working model based on the needs of our clients, teams and people. Our core business hours are 9am - 5:15pm Monday to Friday, but we're open to our people working more flexibly around those times and welcome a conversation with you if you have any questions about this. We try to offer you the flexibility to work your week in a way that suits you.
Learning, Development & Progression
We're committed to supporting your professional and personal development needs. This means that we offer a range of tailored training courses and you will have lots of opportunity to learn from those around you. We actively encourage progression and this is reflected in our annual review and promotion processes. You will be supported by your line manager to achieve your full potential.
Wellbeing
As a Bevan Brittan employee, you'll have access to a variety of services that support your wellbeing. We've pledged our commitment to The Mindful Business Charter and lots of our people contribute to our Wellbeing Responsible Business strand, which organises an annual calendar of wellbeing events and initiatives.
Benefits
* A minimum of 25 days holiday (plus the option to buy up to an additional 5 days)
* Discretionary bonus scheme
* Generous pension scheme
* Private medical insurance through Vitality
* Biennial private health assessment through Nuffield Health
* Life assurance
* Access to Employee Assistance Programme
* Cycle to work scheme
Embracing our differences and valuing inclusion
Our shared aim is that everyone is welcome and can feel comfortable being themselves at Bevan Brittan. To support this, we actively value and promote equality, diversity and inclusion in everything that we do. You'll be empowered and supported through our employee led networks, diverse colleagues, and a broad range of firmwide initiatives.
Recognising the unique contributions that a diverse workforce can bring to our business, we encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We take great pride in being a Disability Confident Employer. If you need any adjustments throughout the recruitment process or have any questions, please get in touch with our recruitment team by emailing recruitment@bevanbrittan.com
Acting responsibly, now and for the future
To us, being a responsible business is second nature; a core part of Bevan Brittan's identity. Our colleagues are heavily involved in shaping and delivering activity across the four pillars of our Responsible Business strategy: Community Engagement; Environmental Sustainability; Equality, Diversity & Inclusion; and Wellbeing.
Our people deliver pro bono legal work for charities and not-for-profit organisations. We play an active role in our local communities and donated £100,000 across our four regional office charities last year. We are also proudly carbon neutral. We've achieved the UN's Climate Neutral Now accreditation and our environmental sustainability plan focuses on achieving our net zero carbon target by 2040.
Collectively, the four pillars ensure we look after our colleagues' wellbeing; offer an environment in which everyone can progress on merit, give something back to the communities in which we work; and protect the environment.
#J-18808-Ljbffr